Guardian
by nemeon
Summary: The Dark Land and Mushroom Kingdom are under attack. In order to find answers, three important people leave their homes. Others will have to rise up to the challenge of protecting the kingdoms, but it proves harder than they expected. Will they succeed, or will the force eventually end the era of the two kingdoms?
1. Chapter 1: News

Hello, everyone! This is another story that I'm working on. I have to discontinue Of Dimensions and Stars because I'm working on this and another story. The latter is one I have not decided to upload yet. It's kind of rushed, so please tell me if there's something off via review or PM. Alright, now for the warnings.

**There will be girl/girl in here. If you're against that, please don't read this. In fact, I suggest you not read any more stuff from me if you are. If you plain out don't like the pairing, alright. There's also some profanity. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, nor do I own anything Nintendo related.**

* * *

The princess of Sarasaland sighed in relief. She wiped the sweat off of her head and waited. The people on the ships of Rainbow Road cheered and hollered, as the annual 32-race Grand Prix was over. Daisy was still nervous, even though she had won that race. In some races, she got 3rd or 4th, but nothing lower than that. There was someone who won 16 races, beating her by one. However, in the other 16 races, he had either gotten 2nd or lower than Daisy. Just then, a teleportation ship had appeared in front of the racers. "Once you're all in this ship, we'll go back to Mario Kart Stadium and announce the results!" a Latiku shouted. All at once, the 12 racers chosen for the event drove straight into it, surprising the Latiku. Of course, they couldn't forget their vehicles. Within five minutes, they were out of space. In fact, being in space brought a huge question up to Daisy, but she disregarded it. Other characters were on the sidelines, rooting for their friends. The twelve racers chosen for the Grand Prix were Daisy, Toadette, Baby Peach, Rosalina, Iggy, Ludwig, Metal Mario, Pink Gold Peach, Wario, Donkey Kong, Yoshi and Morton. They all shivered, anticipating the news coming up. Rosalina started to walk towards the redhead princess.  
"You did really great out there. I'm sure you've won," she stated. Daisy darted her eyes away, trying to accept the compliment.

"No hugs or anything, Rosie?" the flower princess asked. Rosalina shrugged.

"I'd want your permission first. I don't want to violate your personal space." Her girlfriend was right; they both disliked it when they would receive random hugs. She didn't say anything after that. Daisy looked at her, waiting for a hint. The space maiden smiled. She pulled Daisy into a hug and kissed her on the cheek.

"Don't be so nervous. This whole thing is for fun, anyways." The redhead grinned. Rosalina was always there for her, even when she didn't know it. Princess Peach came towards the two. She was also smiling, as usual.

"I hope you girls win! I'm always on your side!" she applauded. Peach encouraged the duo most of the time. They all began to laugh together. Together, they were the best of friends, and they were unstoppable. Daisy noticed the babies playing 'Ring Around the Rosie' as a celebration for Baby Peach. They were having their own fun as well, and it lifted her spirits even more. Toad and Toadette were watching them to make sure nothing bad happens. Wario and Waluigi high-fived each other, not caring if the former won or not. They got coins. She sighed, but continued looking at what the other racers were doing. Yoshi was humming to himself, content with life. Metal Mario and Pink Gold Peach waited for the results while standing together. DK was also doing something alone. Morton, Ludwig, Roy, Larry and Wendy were somewhat impatient, but they congratulated their brothers. Iggy was staring off into space, no matter how hard Lemmy tried to get his attention. She shivered. Something was wrong, but once again, she dismissed it as a personal issue.

"May I have your attention, please?" a voice boomed. It was the same Latiku from before. Everyone suddenly went quiet. This time, he sounded a lot more stern. He also sounded anxious.

"Where...where is Bowser? And Mario?" he asked. A gasp could be heard from the audience. Whispers were uttered from everyone. After he questioned this, Luigi seemed to pop up out of nowhere.

"H-he...I mean Mario...went to go help Bowser with something. During the Twisted Mansion race, he told me he was gonna do it." Luigi spoke quietly. People shot him suspicious looks-and they had a reason. Since when did Mario help Bowser of all people? It must have been really important.

"I'm afraid I can't say anything else about this issue. I don't know anything," he concluded. Ludwig shot the green plumber a glare, but got rid of his expression when he glanced back.

"You're lying. You definitely know more about this than any of us," Ludwig said a little nonchalantly. Luigi shuddered, refusing to look at him.

"I'm sorry. I can't say anything else. It's really...please, it's better if we continue with the Grand Prix results." Rosalina gave Ludwig and the rest of them an expression that said, "shut up." Luckily, they read it. Latiku coughed, trying to get everyone's attention.

"As I was trying to say before this all happened...here's the results!" his voice went from apprehensive to normal in just one second. The audience clapped, finally getting what they were waiting for.

"Unfortunately, due to timing issues, we will only state the winner's points and start from 12th." Nobody really cared about the points, just the rank.

"In 12th place, we have...Donkey Kong!" Everyone applauded, even though DK was a little embarrassed by his low place.

"In 11th place, Pink Gold Peach!" The gold version of the pink princess put her head down in shame, with Metal Mario comforting her.

"In 10th place, Yoshi!" Yoshi didn't give a single shit about what place he was in. He danced happily, knowing he had fun.

"In 9th place, Wario!" The man in purple groaned. He could've gotten a higher place.

"In 8th place, Morton!" Morton didn't seem to react to this. Roy patted him on the back.

"In 7th place, Baby Peach!" The little ones squealed in happiness, annoying everyone around them.

"In 6th place, Ludwig!" Ludwig only shrugged. Being in the middle was decent, at least.

"In 5th place, Rosalina!" Rosalina frowned a little. She could have done better, if it weren't for Metal Mario's broken red shells.

"In 4th place, Toadette!" Toadette and Toad cheered and danced along with Yoshi, who did not mind them at all.

"In 3rd place, Metal Mario!" The metallic version of the red plumber nodded, being okay with his position.

"Alright, everyone! It's up to Iggy and Daisy! Who do you think will win the Grand Prix? Find out after this commercial break!" Everyone groaned because they were hyped up for the finalists. Daisy started to tap her foot, watching the advertisements on the giant screen above them. It was a commercial about this new type of toothpaste. It was literally plastered everywhere, and she was annoyed by it. When it was over, the audience clapped once again. Latiku got their attention once again.

"The winner of the 32-race Grand Prix is..." Everyone was at the edge of their seats. The babies had stopped what they were doing, much to everyone's surprise. Iggy was now fixated on Latiku, getting out of his daze. Nobody made a sound. Latiku appeared a little bit more tense. After about 30 more seconds, he finally spoke.  
"The winner, with 387 points out of 480 total...is..._Iggy_!" Everyone hollered for him, including Daisy, but for her, it was profanity.

"AGH! Fuck! I-I mean shit! I mean shoot!" she stuttered. She was really looking forward to winning. The Koopalings rushed to their brother and praised him for winning. Iggy began to back away, not wanting all of this.

"Wait! WAIT!" Latiku interrupted everyone. Everything was quickly silenced, making things easier.

"My assistant, Shy Guy..." he stopped before glaring at the creature next to him, who just did nothing.

"He screwed up the position thing. Only for the winner, though. So, the real winner is _Princess Daisy_!" Everyone yelled. The three princesses jumped in happiness, while Iggy just looked at them in shock. Lemmy strolled over to him on his ball.

"Hey, maybe next time, right, bro? You got second, though!" he tried to comfort him. Iggy just rolled his eyes. He wanted first, but not with all of that...noticing. He didn't feel comfortable with a lot of people and preferred to be with, at most, 3. Princess Daisy got the trophy, with Rosalina and Peach standing next to her. Rosalina pecked her forehead while Peach spun around in joy. She was proud of her best friend. In fact, that was an understatement. For Daisy, it was something else. It was the first time she ever won a Grand Prix. Usually, she would be 2nd or 3rd, but the day where she would get 1st finally came. It was something she'd always be delighted about. With that, she yelled, "Yeah!" to the audience. They responded with loud screaming of excitement. The other racers clapped, some grudgingly.

"You deserve a party!" Peach tried to get her voice over the crowd. Luckily, Daisy heard her. "Alright, we're hosting a celebration! But where?" she asked.

"My castle, of course! Even though it would be more proper to host it in Sarasaland, it's much farther from here." Rosalina chuckled.

"Didn't know you were THAT lazy." Peach reddened and crossed her arms with a pout. This caused them to laugh, with Peach joining as well. It was a great day for the trio. Well, it was, until...  
Peach had recalled something from earlier. She frowned and glanced at her two best friends.

"Guys...I'm going to Mario's house. Please continue the party without me." Daisy and Rosalina's faces lowered a little.

"It won't be the same without you, but go on ahead. I understand your worry," Rosalina spoke up. Daisy nodded, agreeing with her girlfriend. Peach sighed.

"In case something comes up, please watch my castle, Rosalina. I have already assigned my guards to prepare everything."

"Your castle is under my watch. I will do my best to protect it with the kingdom," Rosalina bowed. Daisy almost rolled her eyes at her. The pink princess gave her a key and ran off. The orange princess examined it. Of course, it had a mushroom for a head. Nothing else seemed out of the ordinary. She then moved her head towards the temporary owner of it. She was still staring at it, but her face looked grim.

"Something very bad is going to happen...this is all too weird..."


	2. Chapter 2: The Basement

Two chapters in two days! Maybe I'll actually finish this. Also, there's something wrong with the hands in the cover image. How embarrassing! It's my old art, so give me a break...

Anyways, this chapter focuses on Larry and Lemmy's short misadventures during the party. Toadette is going to be in the next chapter, so don't worry. The castle here is based on Super Mario 64's. This is more of a filler, if anything. Sorry about that. Same warnings as the previous chapter.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, nor do I own anything Nintendo related.**

* * *

The party was going great so far. Everyone seemed to have fun, disregarding the fact that Peach, Mario, and Bowser were absent. There were games and such for everyone to play. The tables were neatly done, which surprised some people when they began to eat. The two princesses observed the guests having a good time. Even the Koopalings enjoyed their stay here. The paintings on the walls were blocked off so that no one could accidentally slip into another world. The arcade games were located in Bob-omb Battlefield's room. Larry and Lemmy decided to play in there.

"How's the crane going over there, Lemmy?" Larry asked. His brother was too focused on the machine to hear his question. He wanted to win the big alpaca doll, not the Yoshi or Shy Guy one. He almost got every single prize except that. Just when he was about to give up, the crane grabbed the purple plush. He internally screamed in joy as the alpaca dropped down the chute. He claimed the toy and smiled brightly. Larry, who was observing him the whole time, became a little confused. Instead of asking him why he wanted it, he went back to his own game. Larry was playing Skee Ball, however, he failed to get anything higher than 30. He aimed for the 100-pointer, but his efforts were fruitless. The ball just rolled in the 10-pointer. He started to get frustrated and mentally cursed. Lemmy walked up to him with a curious expression. The other didn't know he was there, so he jumped when he turned around.

"I didn't mean to scare you like that!" Lemmy somewhat apologised. He was holding a bag full of prizes in one hand and the alpaca in the other. Larry looked at him. He then resumed the game.

"I can't get the 100 points," he groaned. His brother grabbed a ball and threw it into the 100-pointer without any trouble. Larry gaped.

"Easy game," Lemmy teased. He threw another ball into the other 100-pointer and succeeded in getting the points. It seemed as if he was bragging now, which infuriated Larry.

"Okay, Mr. Hotshot, you can stop lowering my confidence now," Larry pouted and crossed his arms. This only caused his smaller brother to laugh.

"You're not very experienced with this game. Is this your first time playing?" he asked a little too innocently. The younger brother glared at him. Suddenly, he realised that both his bag and alpaca were gone. He stood there, shocked, before getting angry. Larry held the two items with a smirk. He then ran out of the room.

"Give me my stuff back!" Lemmy yelled while giving chase to Larry. Unfortunately for him, the blue-haired Koopa was faster than him. The good news was that he didn't have as much stamina as him. Both of them had knocked into tables and guests. They earned angry ranting in response. At last, they ended up in the basement. They were tired, that's for sure.

"We're done, give it back," Lemmy panted. Larry tossed the stuff back to him, much to his relief. They observed the area around them. There was water and a couple of doors.

"So...where's the exit door?" Larry asked. The boys were so busy with the chase that they didn't notice where exactly where they were. Unlike the other sections, this one didn't have fire. In the corner, they saw a creepy painting of something that looked like fire. Rosalina warned everyone about those; they lead to another world. Instead of exploring, the younger brother leaned back on the wall, only to fall right through it.

"Larry!" Lemmy shouted. His brother had unintentionally gone to another world. His brotherly instinct told him to go through the wall and find him. He was a little hesitant of doing so, which was understandable. Only Bowser, Mario, Peach, and some Toads knew the ins and outs of this castle. Would he fall into a spike pit? Is the place underwater? He disregarded these thoughts as he put his stuff down and went in the wall.

Lemmy felt himself falling, so naturally he screamed. It looked like he was going to fall on the concrete, but instead, he met with something soft. He picked up his head and inspected the environment. It was a desert region. Nothing really seemed out of the ordinary here. He could see two stubby legs struggling to lift the rest of someone's body in the distance. Assuming that the person was Larry, he rushed over to them. He pulled on the legs with a grunt. His younger brother popped out of the sand, spitting some of it out of his mouth.

"Thanks," Larry spoke. Lemmy sensed the embarrassment in his voice. Nevertheless, they both were relieved about finding each other.

"Okay, now we gotta get outta here..." Lemmy muttered. Some members of Bowser's army were there, so both considered asking one of them how to leave. Luckily, there was a Fly Guy nearby. Their hopes were raised until a Bob-omb ran towards them. Bob-ombs target ANYONE, except for King Bowser and the other soldiers that were required to stay there. Larry picked it up and threw it at another Bob-omb who didn't do anything yet. Both bombs exploded, slightly scaring the Fly Guy. He turned to the boys with a surprised face.

"Two of the Koopalings! How did you get here?" the Fly Guy questioned.

"We were in Peach's castle, got lost, fell through a wall, and ended up in this world," Larry shortly explained.

"Yeah, do you know how to get out of here?" Lemmy added. The masked creature thought for a moment. He glanced to a far pillar and pointed at it.

"Klepto is holding a transparent Power Star. Since it has already been collected, it doesn't add to the current amount of Power Stars." The two Koopalings thanked him and made their way to the pillar.

"Be careful of the quicksand! And the Tox Boxes!" he alerted them. They could hear his warning, so they proceeded with caution.

Avoiding the Tox Boxes proved to be more annoying than they thought. It would have been easier if the ground beneath the concrete was not quicksand. Since Tox Boxes have only one safe side, they had to make sure that they didn't step on the wrong tile at the wrong time. Lemmy almost got crushed quite a few times, and Larry almost fell in the quicksand twice. When they finally made it out of the mini-maze, they stared at the pillar.

"How the heck are we supposed to get up there?" Larry asked, confused. A few seconds later, he got an idea. He began to run up the side of it quickly. It somehow worked and defied the laws of gravity. He stared down at Lemmy, expecting him to follow. When he didn't, he motioned him to.

"I'm not going up there! What if I fall and break my back?" Lemmy yelled. The other only rolled his eyes.

"You're not gonna fall! Just run fast!" he replied. The older brother paused before choosing to comply. He didn't fall, which sort of shocked him. Suddenly, a screech could be heard. They guessed that it was the person that the Fly Guy mentioned before. The vulture-like creature came closer to them and stopped when the two could be recognised.

"_Keh_! Who are you guys?" Klepto rudely asked. Lemmy decided to answer.

"We're the Koopalings, minus 5!"

"Doesn't ring a bell. Bugger off." Larry then breathed fire at Klepto, scaring him and making him drop the transparent Power Star. He glared at the boys as they jumped off of the pillar.

"One day..." Klepto mumbled darkly.

The pair got the Power Star and were transported out of the land. They both let out a sigh. Weirdly, they ended up outside of the castle. This meant that they would probably be in huge trouble if they walked in. There was no other way back inside, so they had to deal with the consequences. Lemmy opened the door first, but was surprised and puzzled when he saw no one in the lobby. The party wasn't over apparently because he could hear muffled voices from upstairs. He instantly remembered his things and went to find the basement. Larry followed him to make sure that nothing bad would happen.

Once Lemmy found the basement, he searched for the section where he had his prizes. He saw the creepy painting and realised that he was close. However, he instantly hid behind a wall once he heard someone speaking. Larry could hear it too, so he peeked to the direction of the source. The voice sounded very familiar.

"Iggy?" Larry uttered. This was not directed to Iggy, though. After hearing footsteps, he moved near Lemmy. The two couldn't make a peep. Knowing the green Koopaling, he probably wouldn't yell at them for getting lost. They were still not reassured. The footsteps became louder, which made them even more nervous. The two hugged each other out of fright and shivered. When Iggy spotted them, Larry screamed.

"Please don't kill us!" Lemmy begged while retaining his tight grip on Larry. Iggy rolled his eyes.

"Why would I kill you guys? I'm not that mean." Larry turned to him.

"Well! I think you would because it was probably an order from Ludwig because we got lost and we bumped into some people a-" Lemmy cut off his rambling by putting a hand over his mouth. He glared at Iggy.

"But how do we know if you're secretly working against us?" Larry blinked and let go of his brother.

"That's even worse than what I said! Wait! That's not impossible, considering what Dimentio did!" Lemmy stared at him, confused.

"What the heck is a Dimentio?"

"Count Bleck! Remember, King Dad told us!"

"Oh yeah! What _if_ he's working against all of us? Or maybe, we're actually working against everyone?"

"But what _if_ we're dead already, and we're just zombies or ghosts?"

"What_ if_ we're cursed to stay here and stop the people working against us so we can see the light?"

"It's a giant conspiracy! What _if_ it's all true?"

"What _if_-"

"**SHUT THE _FUCK_ UP**!" Iggy screamed. That got their attention. In spite of his outburst, they continued with their 'theories' about Iggy not being trustworthy. He ignored them after a while. In fact, he actually went to sleep. When the two saw their brother sleeping, they giggled.

"Just as planned," Lemmy said. He then got two huge sticky notes and a black marker out of nowhere. He wrote 'I'm a big NERD' on one of them, and Larry wrote 'I'm also a piece of shit' on the other. Lemmy stuck his on the back of Iggy's hair, while Larry put his on a spike. The stickiness helped so that the note wouldn't just fall off of the spike. The boys woke him up.

"Are you _finally_ done?" Iggy groggily asked. They both nodded.

"Yeah, we just decided that everything we said was nonsense," Lemmy concluded. Iggy sighed and got up. The other two went to get the prizes. Once they claimed the items and went back, Iggy was still there.

"I hope you guys know that everyone is searching for you," Iggy stated nonchalantly. Even though it was serious, they couldn't help but snicker at the notes on Iggy. The poor soul was in for some teasing.

"Also...is that your alpaca?" Iggy looked at Lemmy. "Yes," he answered. He spontaneously laughed. Lemmy frowned at his reaction.

"Do you have a problem with it? Give me one GOOD reason why you're laughing." Iggy suddenly stopped. He really didn't expect his brother to be so grim. Larry did think that he seemed like a hypocrite right then, but Lemmy's command pierced through armour. There was no good reason to laugh at that. At least they had somewhat of a good reason for laughing at Iggy.

"Oh, I didn't mean to sound so serious! Sorry! But I get angry over those things!" Lemmy said, realising how dark the air became. Iggy shrugged. He didn't know what else to say. The walk upstairs was silent, except for the dragging of the bag. When the door opened, they saw everyone gathered near the other set of stairs.

"I thought you said we were in trouble," Larry whispered to Iggy.

"It was to scare you guys. Everyone thinks you're still in the arcade." Lemmy breathed. They were a little eased after hearing that.

"Attention, everyone!" a voice boomed. It was Rosalina. The three managed to sneak behind the crowd unnoticed.

"This party is dedicated to Princess Daisy. As much as I would like to continue this, we must end it. It is getting late, and Daisy will be departing back to Sarasaland. Thank you, everyone, for showing up and celebrating. Have a good night."

"Aw no, we missed the cake!" Lemmy complained.

"Yeah, there was cake, and you two missed it because of your silliness. Good job," Iggy replied sarcastically. They turned around to leave, but not without a few snickers from the people behind them. Larry and Lemmy tried hard not to join them.

"What is everyone laughing about?" the poor sucker questioned them.

"No idea," Lemmy said innocently. The laughter became louder. Rosalina had noticed what was going on and facepalmed.

* * *

As the Koopalings drove home on their karts and bikes, Ludwig saw what was on Iggy's back. He groaned to himself, knowing that Lemmy probably did it. Once they reached Bowser's castle, he took it off of him and sighed.

"Iggy, did you know that these were on you?" He held up the two notes. One had a little hair on the back, and the other had a hole. Both of them had insults on them. Iggy became very furious and scowled at the two suspects. Larry and Lemmy glanced at each other before getting off of their bikes darting into the castle. He went after them.

"_**YOU** **BRATS!**_"


	3. Chapter 3: The Truth

Well, I have nothing to say about this chapter without spoiling some of it. Let's just say that it gets more serious. Same warnings as before.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, nor do I own anything Nintendo related.**

* * *

Rosalina sighed. The party went better than she expected. There were no fights or anything, but there was a huge mess downstairs. The Toad guards offered to clean it up, but she had decided to do it herself. Two people, well, two Koopalings had gotten lost in Shifting Sand Land, and no one informed her of this until she saw Iggy panicking. When the Koopaling told her, she kept quiet because there would have been an uproar if anyone else found out. Princess Daisy had to go back to Sarasaland to keep her kingdom in check.

Life was currently peaceful in the Mushroom Kingdom. Toad Town was full of people, and business there was normal. Everyone enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere because it usually doesn't last long. Toadette skipped through the town, greeting everyone with smiles. Today, she was going to check on her grandmother, Toadanne. She was in the hospital because she became sick. Due to her old age, her immune system did not work well. After 10 minutes, Toadette arrived in the Mushroom Kingdom General Hospital.

"Good morning! Do you know where my grandmother's room is?" Toadette asked.

"Ah! right in room 106 to the left, Toadette," the Toad at the counter replied.

"Thank you!" She walked to her destination. The door was closed, but she could still go inside. Her grandmother sat on the bed, not knowing that her granddaughter was there. Toadette faked a cough so that she wouldn't scare her.

"Oh, hello, sweetie!" Toadanne spoke weakly. Her face showed signs of old age, and her skin was pale. Her mushroom was a grayish-pink colour, and the spots were slightly gray. Her hair was gray, too. She began to cough a lot, which worried Toadette. She held a box covered in a present wrap.

"Toadette, this is for you. It's a picture of us," she told. Toadette received the box and opened it. It was a picture of her brother, mother, and grandmother. Their father was absent, which confused her. She thanked her anyways.

"Don't you worry about me, dear. I'll be okay. I'll watch you and your brother."

"Grandma! Did you know that my brother is Captain Toad? He never told me!"

"Aha, I knew already. Maybe he wanted to keep you safe." Suddenly, she began coughing again. Toadette grew even more tense than before. Toadanne insisted that she was alright, though. Some doctors came into the room with some stuff that the bright pink girl didn't recognise.

"Miss, you will have to leave," a Toad doctor stated. Toadette nodded and left the room with the picture.

Bored, she went to explore the hospital. Someone was in the middle of giving birth. That was something that she did not want to ever see again. Some other rooms were either not in use or had a patient in there. Unfortunately, she heard crying from a room ahead of her, implying that someone was dying or already dead. That was not the case, though. She took a peek, only to see Princess Peach in there. She gasped and ran back to the counter.

"I-I'll be back! I have to leave for a moment!" she said to the Toad. He looked confused but continued signing people in.  
Toadette was about to run to Peach's castle until she saw Rosalina nearby. She rushed towards the girl and got her attention. Rosalina jumped back in surprise, not expecting Toadette of all people to do this.

"I found Peach! She's in the hospital!" Toadette panted.

"Which room?" Rosalina asked. She was a little nervous because she expected the worst. Toadette grabbed her hand and dragged her to the General Hospital. The counter attendant was shocked at how fast she came back with a woman who was probably three times her size. The two ran to the room where the pink princess was. Assuming that something was going on, they stayed outside of the door. They guessed that she kept a low profile because if anyone found out that she was there, the Mushroom Kingdom would be in total chaos. Listening to the conversations inside, they discovered what happened.

"Will he be okay? Poor Junior..."

"He will be fine. He needs rest, though. He will not be able to walk properly for, at the least, 2 months."

"Now, we need to do something. All of us are in danger!" Rosalina and Toadette thought that those voices sounded like Peach, Mario, and Bowser. Something has happened to the last's son, apparently.

"Since Bowser Jr. can't come along, and the Dark Land is currently unsafe, should we entrust Rosalina with him?" Peach asked.

"...Yes. It's better off that way. Don't bring him outside at all costs," Bowser said.

"We have to come up with an excuse..." Mario trailed off. Rosalina chose to go inside of the room with Toadette holding her hand. All eyes were on them, and the air grew more uneasy.

"I will keep the kingdom on lockdown, Peach," Rosalina finally spoke. Toadette was nervous and did not say a word. Instead of being angry, Peach seemed more relieved.

"Now that you know, it will make things easier."

"Dimentio is back, isn't he?" the space princess questioned sternly. The room went cold. Everyone's eyes were on Rosalina this time. Toadette began to shiver. Peach finally broke the silence.

"...No. We're actually going to Flipside for him, though."

"In the meantime, keep the kingdom on lockdown. We are being attacked," Mario added. Toadette panicked and took a step back, hiding behind Rosalina.

"We-we're being attacked? Oh no!"

"Please keep quiet. It's better if no one knows besides you two and Daisy," Peach said. Toadette put her head down.

"It's okay; I would've reacted the same if I had found out later," Rosalina patted the poor girl on her head. Bowser stared at her with an unreadable expression.

"If I find out that my son is hurt by the likes of you or that mushroom girl, I will not hesitate to kill you." Toadette whimpered at the threat, while Rosalina just nodded. She understood how it was to be a parent.

"We're actually leaving today. We have all of our stuff packed and such," Mario told them. They would have to lie and say that Mario and Peach were going on vacation for a while. Meanwhile, Bowser would have to put someone in charge and inform Kamek that Junior was alright. Peach picked up the sleeping patient, and she put him in her friend's arms. He was wearing a leg cast. Toadette was given the crutches and his paintbrush.

"He will be safe in the castle. It's somewhere the enemy won't target." Both girls nodded.

"Stay low, okay?" Peach told them before they headed out of the door. Rosalina kept the prince close to her chest, while Toadette seemed to struggle with the extra weight on her. Not many people saw them because they took another path. They still had to be careful, though.

When they finally made it into the castle, they went to Peach's room. Rosalina put Bowser Jr. on the bed. Toadette sat on a nearby couch to watch him. He'd probably attack them if he had woken up, so she decided to stay as well. He was sleeping soundly, as if nothing had happened to him. The Toad girl wanted to rest too, but it would be better if she didn't. A few minutes later, her phone began to ring.

"Hello?" Toadette muttered. Rosalina couldn't make out what was going on, but she had a feeling that it was something bad as her face became more grim. It looked like she was about to cry, too. When she hung up, she began to sob into Rosalina's dress. The tears stained her attire, which annoyed her a little, but disregarded it a moment later.

"S-sh-she's gone..." Toadette wept.

"What happened?" Rosalina asked, trying to calm her down.

"Heart failure," she stuttered through tears. Toadanne passed away when they were just leaving. Rosalina tried her best to comfort the crying girl, but she continued to do so. After 15 minutes, she stopped and observed Bowser Jr.

"I hope I didn't wake him up..." Toadette sniffed. Luckily, he was still sound-asleep. Rosalina let her sleep after she received the news. The space princess examined Bowser Jr. The Koopa prince would have to hear about what happened to his dad. Daisy would have to know as well because she needs to be prepared.

"_Oh, shit_," she thought. She almost forgot about the three that were leaving. Rosalina waved her wand. It was something that she did when she needed to make an important announcement. A giant figure of her appeared in the sky when she checked. She didn't attract enough attention yet.

"Everyone, can you hear me?" she asked. She glanced at the window and observed the sky once again. It appeared that there was a crowd forming beneath the hologram.

"Princess Peach and Mario are going on vacation. To keep everyone safe, the Mushroom Kingdom is going on lockdown. This includes places such as Rogueport, Koopa Village, and many more places. Flipside will not be affected. Yoshi's Island is the only place outside of the Mushroom Kingdom that will be protected as well. The Dark Land will not invade if we do this. You are still allowed to visit other places, but only in the Mushroom Kingdom. I shall cast a shield around these places, if you are wondering. You only have 5 hours to gather your friends. That is all."

A commotion seemed to follow, but nobody was really angry about this. In fact, they felt more at ease. Phone calls were made, probably to get their friends. At least no one questioned it. It was a rare occurrence, really. Toadette was still taking a nap on the couch during all of this. She poked her as an attempt to wake her up. She swatted her away in response. A yawn could be heard from the bed.

"Where am I?" a drowsy Bowser Jr. asked.

"Peach's castle. Don't move," Rosalina answered.

"Why not?"

"Your leg is broken." With that, he glanced at his leg.

"What happened?" Rosalina groaned inwardly. She had to inform him everything that happened up to this point. During her little speech, he yawned again. The boy was rather nonchalant about this. When she was done explaining, he summarised everything in a question.

"So basically, I have to stay here with you while my dad, Mama Peach, and Mario go somewhere? And I can't go home because it's not safe?"

"You must not tell ANYONE. Just say that I'm watching you while your dad is gone."

"Well, okay. I'm hungry." That was it. No attacks or anything. A weight has been lifted off of the girl's shoulders. She couldn't take him downstairs yet, though. She had to tell Toadsworth that he was there. She left the room and walked downstairs. How would he react? Would he go off? Toadsworth was like a ticking time bomb; you never know when he'll explode. As for Daisy, she could only contact her via cell phone. That reminded her to do so.

Rosalina got her phone out from the guest room and dialed her girlfriend's number. She answered it, fortunately. Usually, she picks it up after 2 calls.

"What's up, Rosie?" she greeted.

"We need to talk." She could sense Daisy's nervousness from here. Once again, she explained everything to keep her updated. A few 'ohs' and 'whats' were emitted from her, meaning that she was listening well. It was a huge issue, of course.

"Well...I can't go to the Mushroom Kingdom. I have Sarasaland to govern."

"I know. Please stay out of harm's way, alright? I'm just worried."

"Yeah. I'll keep mine on guard."

"Have a nice night, Daisy."

"You too."

She hung up and sighed. At least she knew now. Now she just had to deal with Toadsworth.

ooOOoo

"So, Bowser Jr. is here? And he's being taken care of by you and the hospital?" he said. Rosalina nodded. The old man thought for a few moments. He then paced around the lobby. He sighed.

"...As long as he doesn't cause any damage around here, he can stay." Her face brightened. She didn't have to tell anyone else about this, except maybe Luigi. Where was he anyways? He hasn't been showing up. It was likely that he was just staying at his home, though.

She went back upstairs to see if Toadette was awake. When she opened the door to Peach's room, she met with chaos. Toadette had paint all over her face, and Bowser Jr. was laughing. There was some paint on the walls, too. When both looked at her, they became fearful.

"I just gave him his brush! I didn't expect him to do this!"

"You're cleaning this up, Junior," Rosalina stated. He already annoyed her. It was going to be a long 2 months.

* * *

Luigi sat on the table, thinking about the announcement. He already knew Mario was leaving, but Peach and Bowser, too? They really were in danger. It all seemed too surreal. Whatever the attacker is doing, it's working. All of a sudden, he got a headache. He took off his hat, as he was getting a little heated up. A few seconds later, he blacked out.

* * *

**I really wish I made Toadanne with more character...would've been more interesting. She just seems like a random character who appears out of nowhere and just never appears again. **


	4. Chapter 4: Rosalina and Daisy

This is a little late! I can't upload everyday, though. I need some free time.

A few things. First, (ooOOoo) means another point in time and/or a flashback. Second, (uuUUuu) means that there's another flashback. Another (ooOOoo) means the end of a flashback and the story is back in the normal time.

There's girl/girl in this chapter. There's no swearing this time.

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, nor do I own anything Nintendo related.**

* * *

The next few days were uneventful. Bowser Jr. didn't cause any trouble in the castle (except when Toadette came in to check up on him), so that was a relief. Dark Land didn't do anything either, which made Rosalina a little bit suspicious. Usually, they would plan an attack or something at this time, but nothing had occurred. Even though the shield was covering the Mushroom Kingdom, life remained normal around it. Sometimes, Rosalina would go on walks with the Koopa prince and the mushroom girl. It shocked some people, but after telling them that she was just watching him, they understood. Daisy would call almost everyday to make sure that her girlfriend was alright.

"So, Rosalina," Toadette began. The three went to a local park near Toad Town and sat on a bench. Rosalina almost didn't notice that she was talking because they were pretty much silent there.

"Yes?" Rosalina responded, acknowledging her.

"Where are the babies?"

"Oh, they returned to their original timelines once the party was over." Toadette sighed. They were annoying, but they were sweet kids. At least they didn't have to hear crying, for now.

"Also, how did you and Daisy get together?" Rosalina thought for a few moments. The mushroom girl believed that it was a personal question and tried to apologise, but the space princess stopped her with her own words.

"Ah...this is how it went. Just a few years ago."

ooOOoo

_Rosalina stared at Earth. The planet seemed so beautiful from her perspective. Today was the day of the Star Festival in the Mushroom Kingdom. It was also the day when Mario had saved the universe once again. She could not thank him enough; he protected everyone, including her Lumas. She started to think. Would she leave to see this once-a-century event, or would she continue to watch her children and miss it? _

_"I need to stop being so over-protective. They can manage," she spoke to herself. Polari observed her. If anyone knew her very well, it was him. The Luma was like Toadsworth, in a way. _

_"I'm guessing you want to go to the Star Festival? Go ahead. I'll watch everyone." Rosalina brightened. One of the Launch Stars lead to it, which made things more convenient. After Polari told the rest of them that Rosalina left, the Lumas waved goodbye. She waved back before going through a green Launch Star._

_Rosalina landed near the entrance of Toad Town. The two guards were surprised by her sudden appearance, but saw that she was not suspicious. There were residents outside, waiting for the event to occur. Mario must have been near Peach's castle. It was probably typical of him, considering that they were obviously a couple. As she walked through the town, she felt someone run into her. However, the force was so strong that she fell down._

_"Oops! Sorry!" a voice said. Rosalina got up, dusted herself off, and turned to see the person. The person was not a Toad. They appeared more like another royal member of the Mushroom Kingdom. They wore an orange dress, and they had reddish-brown hair. A brooch on the dress suggested that they had something to do with daisies. _

_"May I ask, who are you?" the person asked._

_"I'm Rosalina. And the same for you."_

_"Hi, I'm Daisy!" she responded in a higher pitch than normal. This annoyed her a little, but she brushed it off. Rosalina reached out to her in a friendly way._

_"Nice to meet you." Daisy replied to her with a handshake. It hurt quite a bit. Apparently, she was physically strong. The two girls decided to walk around and get to know each other better._

_After an hour of walking, Rosalina learned that Daisy was the princess of Sarasaland. Ironically, Sarasaland was in a desert region. She was also close friends with Princess Peach, Mario, and Luigi. She would visit sometimes, too. The reason why she hasn't been doing that is because of problems within her own kingdom. A funny thing that she learned was that Bowser was launched back to his kingdom after Daisy had merely slapped him a few years ago. She shuddered at her strength. She was one to be feared. Maybe that's why the Koopa king doesn't go for her._

_"Bowser had tried to send the Koopalings to invade once, along with himself."_

_"What happened?"_

_"I sent them back faster than they came! Their magic was frustrating, though. It took longer than it should have. And that's the last time I've seen them enter my territory." Rosalina smiled. _

_"You have great physical abilities." Daisy did not expect that, so she blushed a little at the compliment. _

_"Aw, thanks! I could help protect the Mushroom Kingdom, if it weren't for my own problems." Suddenly, a giant bell rang. That meant it was time for the Starlight Show. It was basically like a meteor shower, except these stars were full of Star Bits. Peach and Mario were already in the center of Toad Town. The two girls made their way to the center as well. The sight was stunning. Stars twinkled in the sky, which made the mood more romantic. Fireworks exploded in the night air. Star Bits were on the ground, and they bounced around. Rosalina picked one up and put it in her mouth._

_"Eww! Are you eating that?" Daisy spoke, rather disgusted by her new friend's behaviour._

_"Star Bits don't get dirty, and they're a great snack," the other responded, not showing any emotion towards her. Out of curiosity, Daisy tried a red one herself. Needless to say, she instantly regretted what she had said seconds earlier. It tasted like strawberries. _

_"Oh! This is good!" she sang. The blonde princess smirked, but didn't say anything else. The rest of the night had went smoothly. When it was over, everyone said their goodbyes. Daisy was upset by her new friend leaving, but she knew that she had places to be._

_"Hey! We should call each other! Maybe we can go shopping together one day!" The two exchanged numbers as they prepared to exit. Rosalina grinned at her sudden excitement. They would be good friends._

uuUUuu

_Rosalina rode her Flame Runner down the hill of Rainbow Road. This was the first time that she was in a racing tournament. It was the annual 32-race Grand Prix, and it was also the 6th one. The race had just started, and she was already in 3rd due to a good start. Daisy was using her Mach Bike, while the other person ahead of her, Funky Kong, was using the Flame Runner as well. It's kind of weird how it's called Mario Kart, yet the majority of the racers used bikes here. The other racers were Bowser, Mario, Peach, Baby Daisy, Yoshi, Dry Bones, Toad, King Boo, and Waluigi. Bowser Jr. was rooting for his father in the audience, and the Koopalings as well._

_The Luma by Rosalina's side strangely kept up with her. He wanted to race as well, so she allowed him. She had missed the first set of item boxes, along with the person behind her. Daisy and Funky Kong were neck-and-neck with each other. However, it was just friendly rivalry. They did try to backspam each other sometimes, but other than that, they were cool. Rosalina was now in 6th because of a red shell. The next set of item boxes came up, and she got a Mega Mushroom. _

_"I should save this," she thought to herself. Slowly, she passed the other racers and got her position back. Daisy and Funky were now way ahead of everyone, according to the little map on her bike. The latter was in 1st. Lap 2 came faster than she expected. She was catching up to the leaders now. A blue shell sped by and went to find their target. After making a turn, she had noticed that Daisy had gotten hit, while Funky barely dodged the explosion. She was now in 2nd place. Daisy had a red shell, but was holding it instead of aiming for Rosalina. _

_"Hey, Rosalina!" the redhead yelled. Rosalina looked behind her, expecting the red shell. It was definitely not the case._

_"I've been thinking about it lately after we've grown really close! We should go out!"_

_"What?! Wait until the race is over, then I'll choose!" she replied. Her face was pretty heated up. The Luma saw this and had a feeling that she was sick. Rosalina quickly explained what had happened, causing the little one to giggle. As she passed through the cannon, her thoughts were now filled with the princess. Was she a little too rude? Was Daisy discouraged by her answer? These questions almost made her fall off of the track. _

_"Ah. Nearly lost my Mega Mushroom..." she muttered to herself. The red on her face didn't go away, much to her dismay. Suddenly, she could hear screaming and an explosion behind her. As she passed the line to Lap 3, she observed what was going on behind her. Daisy had fallen off of her bike, and would not get up. Her instincts told her to go backwards and help her, but pride told her to keep going. She chose the former, of course. When she reached Daisy behind the line, she got off of her bike._

_"I sprained both of my ankles. How embarrassing," she said. Rosalina winced. She picked her up bridal style, but did not go to her Mach Bike._

_"Hey, what are you doing?!" she shouted. She couldn't ride her bike, so she would've had to crawl if it wasn't for her best friend. Rosalina took her to the Flame Runner._

_"Get on my back. You're finishing this race!" she stated. Daisy nodded and listened to her instructions. Once she had done so, Rosalina started to pick up speed again. Right now, they were in 7th and 8th place._

_"In a surprising turn of events, Daisy has gotten on another racer's vehicle! There's no rules against this, luckily," the announcer shouted. Some of the audience booed, while others clapped wildly for Rosalina's act. _

_"I think you should use that item now," Daisy suggested. Rosalina waited until the next set of item boxes appeared. When she used it, both of them had grown to an even larger size. A lightning followed, reducing them to their original size._

_"Bam, shock dodge," a member of the audience said. Everyone groaned in response. Because everyone else was small, the two quickly passed everyone and went to 2nd and 3rd. Funky Kong already finished the race, and was currently waiting for everyone else. After 20 seconds, Rosalina had finished the race with 2nd, and Daisy had 3rd. Her Mach Bike was near the last boost panel, the place where it was before she fell off of it. Due to the 30 second limit, the race ended with some racers not finishing._

_"My ankles feel better. It was probably because of the Mega Mushroom," Daisy said. She got off of her friend's back and stood up. Rosalina got off of her bike and went up to her. She kissed her former friend softly on the lips, causing her to become a deep red._

_"Does that answer your question?" the blonde princess smiled. Daisy tried to register what had just happened._

_"I-I...yeah, it does," she stuttered. "Just don't do that in public..." Rosalina laughed at her now-girlfriend's flustered face. _

_"You look like a tomato!"_

_"S-shut up!"_

ooOOoo

"And that's how we met, and how we got together, weirdly," Rosalina finished. Bowser Jr. had fallen asleep by the time she mentioned Mario and Peach. Toadette was listening closely and seemed fascinated.

"You girls look so cute together!" she exlaimed. Rosalina blushed a little.

"Haha, thanks."

* * *

**Fun fact: Mario Kart Wii is actually Mario Kart 8, and Mario Kart 8 is Mario Kart 11. Also, I made up the Starlight Show. I know that there's a comet that launches star bits. **


End file.
